Single delivery dispensing container



March 9, 1937. w. s. LUCKETT 2,073,376

SINGLE DELIVERY DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed April 27, 1935 15 INVENTOR- W/LL/HM flLuc/(srr Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to single delivery dispensing containers and more particularly to containers for dispensing elongated articles.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, I have shownv the container in the form of a pocket cigarette case constructed to hold a plurality of cigarettes which may be dispensed therefrom singly and successively by simply tilting or inverting the case and shaking or agitating it gently which will cause a cigarette to be properly positioned in longitudinal alinement with the delivery opening in an end of the case and then delivered therefrom.

While I have shown the invention as embodied in a cigarette case, I do not wish-to be understood as limiting myself to such use as it will be readily apparent that itis well adapted to the delivery of other articles without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

The cbject of the invention is to provide a single delivery dispensing container that will be extremely simple in construction; which consists of a minimum number of easily constructed and assembled parts which may be manufactured at low cost, and which will be sure and accurate in operation.

Briefly and generally stated the invention comprises a single delivery dispensing case for holding and dispensing elongated articles, comprising a container having a movable closure and a dispensing opening in an end thereof, which opening may be located either in the movable closure or in the bottom of the container; combined with means located within the container for positioning the articles to be delivered lengthwise thereof and in alinement with the delivery opening, which is slightly larger in area than the cross-sectional dimensions of the article.

The invention further resides in the features of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter appear, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a pocket cigarette case constructed in accordance with the invention, the view showing a single cigarette as it is being dispensed by gravity;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the closure for the case removed, and also showing the means within the case for positioning the cigarettes in alinement with the dispensing openin Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the dispensing opening in the bottom of the case, instead of in the closure;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the case showing the position of the article dividing and positioning means;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the case; a

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of the case showing the dispensing open- 1 Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of a corner of the case showing how the interior article-positioning plate is formed as an integral part of the inner shell of the case.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the inner shell removed from the case;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a pocket cigarette case constructed to hold a single row of cigarettes or other articles.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral I, indicates the body of the container which has an open ended tubular shell 2, see Fig. 8, fitted closely therein and one end of which projects for a distance beyond the open end of the container as shown in Fig. 2, to provide an annular collar 3, to receive a removable closure 4, which has a close frictional fit with said projecting collar, and which fit may be augmented by one or more nibs 5, struck-out from the collar, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The case shown is generally rectangular in shape with rounded corners and of pocket size to receive 20 cigarettes, more or less, but obviously they may be made of other shapes'and sizes to hold a greater or lesser number of cigarettes or other elongated articles, one other shape being shown in Fig. 9, wherein the case is relatively fiat to hold a single row of cigarettes.

I prefer to make the case from sheet metal which may be stamped, drawn or otherwise formed, and obviously any kind of metal may be employed as well as card-board, sheet veneer, or they may be molded from composition material such as bakelite, or the like, or from pulp.

The case is provided at either end with a dispensing opening 6, of slightly greater area than the cross-sectional dimension of the article to be dispensed, such as a cigarette l, as shown. I prefer to locate the opening 6, at a corner of the case or at the intersectionjbetween two angular walls'as shown. In Fig. 3 .I have shown the dispensing opening located in the bottom 8, of the case, and in Fig. 1 I have shown the opening in the top wall 9, of the removable cover or closure. I prefer the arrangement where the opening is located in the bottom of the case because in this arrangement the position of the opening is at all times definitely fixed with relation to the article-positioning means located within the case as will presently appear, whereas if the opening is located in the removable cover, it will be apparent that the cover must always be so placed on the collar of the case that the dispensing opening will be properly positioned with relation to the said article-positioning means.

The article-positioning means shown consists of a divider constructed in the form of a-plate llJ, extending inward within the case, to one side of the delivery opening 6, and longitudinally of the case from the top to the bottom thereof, said divider plate defining a relatively shallow article receiving and aligning trough-like channel l2, extending throughout the length of the case, the depth thereof being approximately equal to or a little greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the article to be delivered. The purpose of the channel is to separate the articles individually from the mass within the case, and position them successively in longitudinal alinement with the delivery opening 6.

The divider plate may be constructed and held in position in any suitable manner; but I prefer to form it as an integral part of the blank from which the inner shell 2, is made as more clearly shown in Fig. 8. This arrangement makes for simplicity and cheapness in construction. As will be seen by referring to Figs. '7 and 8, the blank from which the shell is formed is bent to the proper shape to fit closely and snugly within the body of the case, one end of the blank being offset inwardly at l5, and the other a end l4, being arranged in overlapping relation to that wall of the shell adjacent the ofiset l5, and the overlapping portions may be secured together by welding or otherwise if desired, although this may not be necessary in all cases, as where the shell is made from sheet metal of a resilient or springy nature in which event the shell will be held in place by the outer case through its own inherent resiliency. This construction provides a substantially flush fit at the point where the end of the blank overlaps the portion adjacent the bend l3.

To avoid the presence of sharp edges at the end of the collar 3, and to give that end added strength, I prefer to turn themetal of the shell over and inward as'shown, the saidturned-over portion extending entirely around the edge of the collar except at that corner of the case where the delivery opening 6, is located. The purpose of discontinuing the turn-over at this point is to avoid the presence of a shoulder which might interfere with the free delivery of the articles through the delivery opening.

In Fig. 9, I have shown my invention applied to a flat pocket-size cigarette case holding a single row of cigarettes. The construction of the case is exactly the same as the one previously described, except that the divider plate I in this construction is positioned adjacent a flat side wall of the case and extends longitudinally thereof to provide a trough or channel for the cigarettes and as a guide for positioning them in alinement with the delivery opening.

While I have shown the case as provided with a telescoping closure 4, it will be obvious that I may employ a, hinged closure, but I prefer the construction shown, because, as will be seen, the complete case consists of only three parts which may easily be made and assembled, hence the cases may be made and sold at a nominal cost which is a feature of importance.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A single delivery dispensing case for cigarettes or thelike comprising a container of flat material bent. to form a substantially rectangular shell with side walls longer than its end walls, one end of said material which forms a part ofone of the end walls being bent inwardly intermediate the side walls and parallel therewith to. form a web slightly wider than the cross-sectional dimension of the articles to be dispensedto sub-divide one end of the container into longitudinal channels, the other end of the material overlapping the part of the first mentioned end near the bend therein whichforms the web to form therewith a substantially flat end wall, and end closures for the containers, one of which is constructed to form an opening in a corner of the container in alignment with one of said channels.

2. A single delivery dispensing case for cigarettes or the like comprising a container of flat material bent to form a substantially rectangular shell with side walls longer than its end walls, one end of said material which forms a part of one of the end Walls being bent inwardly intermediate the side walls and parallel therewith to form a web slightly wider than the cross-sectional dimension of the articles to be dispensed to sub-divide one end of the container into longitudinal channels, the other end of the material overlapping the part of the first mentioned end near'the bend therein which forms the web to form therewith a substantially flat end wall, and end closures for the container, one of which is constructed to form an opening in a corner of the container in alignment with the channel formed between the web and the side wall of the container which is formed by that end of the material which forms the web.

3. A single delivery dispensing case for cigarettes or the like comprising a container of fiat material bent to form a substantially rec-- tangular shell with side walls longer than its end walls, one end of said material which forms a part of one of the end walls being bent inwardly intermediate the side walls and parallel therewith to form a web slightly'wider than the cross-sectional dimension of the articles to be dispensed to sub-divide one end of the container into longitudinal channels, the other end of the material overlapping the part of the first mentioned end near the bend'therein which forms the web, to form therewith a substantially flat end wall, and end closures for the container, one of which is removable and one of which is constructed to form an opening in a corner of the container in alignment with the channel formed betweenvthe web and the side wall of the container which is formed by that end of the material which forms the web.

WILLIAM S. LUCKE'I'I'. 

